Like any other healthcare professional, dentists owe their patients a certain level of competent care. Dental malpractice occurs when a dentist fails in this duty, and a patient is injured.
If you believe you have been the victim of dental malpractice in Boca Raton, it is essential to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. Florida state law gives you the right to seek compensation for the pain, suffering, and financial losses arising from a botched dental procedure. Boca Raton dental malpractice attorney Lisa Levine is here to help you obtain this compensation.
Common Types of Dental Malpractice
Dental malpractice can cause many injuries, including physical injuries, emotional trauma, and even death. In Boca Raton, common types of dental malpractice include:
- Wrongful tooth extraction
- Root canal treatment failure
- Dental implant failure
- Broken filling
- Gum disease
- Infection
- Nerve damage
- Jaw pain
- Allergic reaction to dental materials
- Permanent damage to the teeth or gums
These can affect how a person breathes, speaks, eats, and drinks. Additional procedures may be required to correct the harm caused by these injuries. Some dental malpractice injuries, like nerve damage, can be permanent.
How to Prove Dental Malpractice in Florida
A Boca Raton dental malpractice attorney can help you in many ways, including gathering the evidence crucial to your case.
Why is this evidence so important? To prevail in a Boca Raton dental malpractice lawsuit, you’ll have to be able to prove that:
- The dentist had a duty of care to the patient;
- The dentist breached that duty;
- The breach of duty caused the patient’s injury; and
- The patient suffered damages as a result of the injury.
Evidence in a Boca Raton dental malpractice lawsuit can include medical records, expert witness testimony, photographs, and witness statements. Your lawyer will use this evidence to negotiate a settlement with the dentist’s insurance company or fight your case in court. Generally, the more evidence you have supporting your claim, the better your chances of obtaining the full compensation you deserve for your injuries
What Are The Damages You Can Recover For Dental Malpractice?
There are typically two types of damages you can recover for dental malpractice:
- Economic damages, like medical expenses and lost wages. Medical expenses can include current medical expenses as well as expenses for additional procedures, medications, and more. These are damages that you can assign a dollar amount to.
- Non-economic damages, like pain, suffering, and emotional distress. These can be harder to assign a value to. You can base the amount on what others in similar circumstances have recovered, but it’s important to remember that each dental malpractice case is unique. The actual amount you collect could be significantly higher or lower than what others have collected.
Injury Victim
Boca Raton Dental Malpractice FAQs
What is the statute of limitations for filing a dental malpractice lawsuit in Florida?
The statute of limitations for dental malpractice in Florida is two years from the date of your injury or two years from the date you became aware of your injuries. If you wait longer than that, the courts will most likely refuse to hear your case.
How much does it cost to hire a Boca Raton dental malpractice attorney?
Unlike business and criminal defense attorneys, dental malpractice attorneys don’t charge their clients an upfront retainer fee. Instead, they work on a contingency basis. This means they collect their fee only after a case has been successfully resolved as a predetermined percentage of the final cash settlement.
How long will my dental malpractice cases take?
Depending on the evidence supporting the claim, it can take months to reach a settlement in a dental malpractice case. The case could take longer if you have to go to court. (Most dental malpractice claims in Palm Beach County are settled out of court.)
Speak to a Boca Raton Dental Malpractice Attorney Today
If you believe you have been the victim of dental negligence, contact Boca Raton dental malpractice attorney Lisa Levine today for a free consultation. Lisa Levine is a nationally recognized medical malpractice attorney with extensive experience helping victims of negligent dental and medical professionals recover the compensation they deserve. She’s helped clients in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County who have had their lives shattered as a result of a dentist’s careless actions, including a six-figure settlement for the estate of a man who died after a dentist dropped a dental tool down his throat.
Call the law offices of Lisa Levine today at (855) 551-8090 to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.
